Box Score
RICHMOND, VA— VCU had three players reach double-figures paced by Robyn Parks' 20 points as the VCU Rams defeated visiting NJIT, 64-52, Friday afternoon at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
NJIT, winners of its last two contests fall to an even 6-6 record while VCU, which had lost its last two contests closes out a three-game homestead improving to 6-6 on the season.
Parks, a junior forward, finished the contest with 20 points and seven rebounds while freshman guard Jessica Pellechio added 12 points (all from behind the arc) and Kaneisha Atwater came off the bench to score 11 points in 14 minutes of action.
The Highlanders were led by reigning Great West Conference Player of the Week
Rayven Johnson with 23 points and eight rebounds while also adding two assists and two steals Friday. Johnson has now scored in double-digits in 11 out of 12 games this season with five 20-point performances.
NJIT's other double-figure scorer was sophomore
Sarah Olson with 11 points, all coming in the first half. Sophomore guard
Martina Matejcikova scored nine points finishing 4-of-5 from the field.
Junior forward
Uju Nwankwo had seven rebounds, four blocks and two assists to go along with four points for the Highlanders.
VCU scored the first points of the contest but the Highlanders rallied and scored the next 10 points taking a 10-2 advantage at the 16:30 mark. Olson had six points and Johnson had four in the run for the Highlanders.
The home team broke the ice at the 13:34 mark after being held scoreless from the its opening points at 19:42 on a pair of free throws made by Shekinah Henry and a fast break layup by Parks cutting the lead to four, 10-6, with 13:15 remaining.
NJIT took a six-point lead after two consecutive baskets by Johnson on a three-pointer with one second left on the shot clock from the top of the key for a 15-9 advantage with 10:31 left in the first half.
VCU scored the next five points, cutting the lead to one, 15-14, after a three-pointer by Pellechio and a layup by Robyn Hobson over a span of a 45 seconds but NJIT's Olson put the Highlanders back up three, 17-14, on a running floater from the baseline just under the 8-minute media mark.
Parks hit a jumper from the baseline bringing VCU to within one, 17-16, at the 6:07 mark and Atwater knocked down a three-pointer from the left side taking its first lead of the game 19-17, at the 5:29 mark.
NJIT's Olson put the Highlanders back on top by one, 20-19, after knocking down a three-pointer from the corner at the 3:52 mark but the VCU Rams scored four points out of the four-minute media timeout for a 23-20 advantage.
The visitors
Nicole Maticka knocked down a jumper from the short corner on the left side at the 2:21 mark as VCU scored the final four points of the half for a 27-22 halftime score.
NJIT's Olson scored 11 points shooting 3-for-7 from behind the arc while Atwater led VCU with eight after the first 20 minutes.
To open the second half, the Highlanders went on an 8-4 run cutting the VCU lead to one, 31-30, after back-to-back baskets made by Johnson at the 16:41 mark.
VCU's Pellechio knocked down consecutive three-pointers extending the VCU Rams lead to five, 37-32, at the 15:07 mark and Parks added to the spurt hitting a pair of free throws 35 second later for a seven-point lead, 39-32 lead.
NJIT's Matejcikova scored six straight points, cutting the lead to one, 39-38, after knocking down a jumper from the left elbow and two fast break layup at the 10:47 mark.
VCU took control of the game, as the home team rallied for a 12-0 run from the 10:16 mark to the 7:58 mark increasing the lead to, 13, 51-38. NJIT's Johnson ended the scoring drought by hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key at the 7:29 mark, for a 51-41 score.
The Highlanders cut the lead to 10, 53-43, one last time after a pair of free throws sank by Nwankwo at the 6:30 mark but the VCU Rams closed out the game on an 11-6 run for a 64-52 final score.
NJIT will have a quick turnaround when the Highlanders visit No. 11/10 Penn State on Sunday at 1:30pm before breaking for Christmas.
